How to survive for introvert people

For shy people, the mere thought of having to make small talk with total strangers at a large business event is often enough to bring on heart palpitations. But if you’re really serious about finding referrals, getting job leads or advancing your career goals, you know there’s no way out of attending such gatherings. And while you may never become a social butterfly or the life of the party, you don’t have to be the perennial square peg or wallflower either. What’s more, even if it will always be more chore than cheer for you, the results of working the crowd will definitely make it worth your while. Yes, it’s not mission impossible to acquire networking skills-you may even find yourself starting to enjoy socializing once you finally get the hang of it. Ready to network?

1. Before the event, volunteer to join a committee that will force you to actively deal with people, such as manning the reception desk or ushering conference participants.
2. Practice holding conversations, whether with a friend or before the mirror. When you’re actually there, your rehearsals will make it easier to recall what you had planned to say.
3. Wear your nametag where it can be clearly viewed. People will find it easier to connect with you when they can see who they are talking to.
4. To ease your jitters, see if you can attend a conference or business function with a more outgoing colleague to introduce you around.
5. To maximize your dialog time, give yourself a goal beyond engaging in chitchat. Strive, for instance, to meet five new associates who might be helpful in your job search.
6. Bring along enough business cards to hand out freely. And get business cards in return, asking the owners if you can follow up in the next few days by sending your resume or making a business call.
7. If you recognize some people, stand near their circle, within sight of your acquaintances. This is a common signal to them to introduce you and invite you into the group.
8. Stand near the registration table and exchange pleasantries with the registrants. Start off with friendly chatter such as, "Seems to be a well-attended affair, isn’t it?"
9. Or stand near the buffet table and strike up a conversation with those lining up. For instance, you might comment, "Um, that steak looks delicious!"
10. But don’t cling to your new best pal either. After some time, make your exit using the three B’s of graceful leave-taking: bathroom, bar and buffet excuses: "Would you know where the restrooms are?" "I think I’m going to get more juice." "I'm hungry. Mind if I get something to eat?”
11. If your friend decides to tag along, you can introduce him or her to colleagues who have similar interests. This matchmaking will keep you actively mixing and moving around as planned.
12. Learn the art of asking others feel-good questions such as, "Can you tell me more about your business?" or "What do you enjoy most about what you do?" to draw them out. This way, you won’t need to speak so much if you’re tongue-tied, and you’ll impress others more than if you talked about your lack of job or need to close more sales.

Good habits while searching job

Believe it or not, you can get more mileage from your everyday habits with a little more effort and forethought. For instance, if you like to read the papers, get out of the house, talk to people and log on to the Internet, then focus those seemingly disconnected activities to get more out of them-like finding a job, for one. Here’s how.

• If you love to read the news with your morning coffee, remember to note down announcements about job fairs and recruitment events as well.
• For a change of pace, interrupt your routine of going to malls or vegging in front of the TV to contact an employment or staffing agency about positions that may be suitable for you. Send your well-written resume so they can call you if anything interesting comes up.
• If you spend hours emailing friends or lingering in chat rooms, spare a few moments to post your CV to online job centers or company websites.
• And if you’re a social animal, then don’t waste those face times with friends, relatives, former officemates, neighbors, godparents and acquaintances from clubs and sporting events. It won’t hurt mentioning to everyone you know that you’re on the hunt. Who knows? One or two of them may be able to set you up for an interview or refer you to a prospective employer.
• And while you’re at it, inform your former teachers and classmates at class reunions that you’re on the market. While reminiscing in the hallways, visit the university placement office to see the latest work listings, or check for on-campus recruitment activities scheduled in the near future.

Of course, nothing beats looking for work full time. But no one says you have to limit your search boundaries to formal hunting occasions. By staying sharp always, you’ll find that opportunities lurk even in what seem to be the most mundane situations or unrelated events.

Self confidence during job search

One of the hardest things you will have to do in your adult life is to find work. Lucky you if you get an offer on your first try; for most us, however, it will take more than one, two, three or more tries before we finally nail that job. Meantime, as your search lingers, something strange starts to happen to you-with each unsuccessful try, you lose a little of that sparkle in your eye, that swing in your arms, that bounce in your step.

Indeed, staying optimistic with job debacle after job debacle can be your greatest challenge-and losing that fight your greatest undoing. Once you lose your self-confidence, you’ll lose the ability to think straight, plan ahead and act with purpose. To ensure you remain upbeat while on the prowl, follow these resilience rules:

1. Have a structured day. Just because you’re jobless doesn’t give you reason to sleep in late, watch TV in your pajamas until lunchtime then go malling the entire afternoon. You’ll feel even more depressed wasting a perfectly great day. Instead, make finding work your full-time job by following a structured routine of productive activities.
2. Set realistic goals. Accomplishment is a great motivator. Conversely, failure can deflate your already fragile ego. So shoot for goals that are realistic and feasible. Take small but steady steps forward so you’ll have the confidence to continue with your search.
3. Be good to yourself. Do something for yourself that’s fun yet inexpensive. Buy a riveting thriller on sale to entertain yourself at day’s end. Play with your dog or tend your garden. Get a new haircut-you’ll not only feel better, you’ll make a good impression with the interviewer. Don’t fall into the trap of punishing yourself for being jobless for so long.
4. Find motivation. It’s so easy to become bleak when you’re on forced work hiatus, so buoy your spirits by finding motivation where you can get it. Listen to some inspiring CDs on marketing yourself as you drive. Meet up with a caring friend who can give you a listening ear and encouraging words. Seek inspiration from the success stories of people who’ve beaten overwhelming odds in their fight against illness, business failure or unemployment. What to avoid like the plague: Naysayers and pessimists who will only drag your spirits down.
5. Have faith. Do everything you can, but remember that everything takes place at its own time. When you feel the blues coming on, calling on a higher power can give you that extra energy you need to get over the setbacks you encounter. When you believe that Someone is watching over you, you will no longer feel so alone and helpless.

Get your dream job

Job satisfaction is a hot topic at the moment and according to recruiting experts Hays there are many people now actively looking for their dream job.

“Over the years I’ve heard many people talking about finding their dream job. Most candidates however have no idea what their dream job is, let alone how to find it,” says Chris Mead, General Manager of Hays in Singapore.

Chris says there are no quick or easy answers but there are a few things you can do to help you find your way.

List your skills: “You need to think of the big picture and consider not only what professional experience you have, but also your talents and your hobbies. List the things you are good at and highlight those you enjoy doing.”

Describe your personality: “To help you determine what type of career you are best suited for, think about your personality traits. Are you meticulous with an eye for detail or are you strategic with a big picture view? Do you enjoy working in a team or do you prefer to work on your own?”

List your priorities: “List what is most important to you in your career and your values. For example, are you looking for a career that challenges and rewards you? Should it be something you are passionate about and inspired by? Is money more important to you than work/life balance?”

Identify what your dream job isn’t: “Here you should not only think about what type of roles but also what things you are not willing to compromise on, such as hours worked, pay and location. Consider also your values in this context; for example your dream job wouldn’t undermine your values or take you away from the things that are important to you in life.”

Define your dream job: “The next step is to develop a loose description of your dream job.” Chris suggests you start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Who/what would you like to work with?
   
2. Where do you want to work?
   
3. What type of tasks do you want to work on?
   
4. What type of work will make you truly happy? This could be anything from working with animals to working with computers.
   

“Collating this information will provide you with a synopsis of who you are and will help you determine your dream job.”

Plan to snag your dream job: “Once you know what your dream job is, you just need to develop a plan to get it,” says Chris. He suggests you:

• Research the industry as well as the knowledge and skills you will need.
  
• Network and get to know people in the industry. Not only will this help you get a better understanding of the industry and if you like it, but it will put you in contact with potential employers.
  
• Take action. If you don’t already have the skills, how do you get them? Will you need training? Maybe you just need to update your resume to highlight a different skill set you already have.
  

Chris knows the value of snagging your dream job. “At Hays we work with thousands of people every day to connect them with the right job, which can transform their life for the better.”